Buckle Structure for Seat Belt of Vehicle

ABSTRACT

A buckle structure for a seat belt of a vehicle contains: a body, a rotation member, a locking device, and multiple buckles. The body includes a fixing mount and a cover, the fixing mount includes multiple grooves, each of which is defined between any two adjacent of multiple protrusions. The rotation member is mounted on the cover, and the locking device is defined between the fixing mount and the cover. The locking device includes a central shaft and an actuation sheet, and the central shaft has two opposite semicircular columns. The actuation sheet has an aperture, a hollow pillar, and multiple openings, wherein the hollow pillar has two opposite semicircular cutouts, an arcuately concave channel, two release tabs, and two symmetrical sliding channels. A first end of each buckle is connected with the seat belt, and a second end of each buckle has a connection head with a hole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a buckle of a safety belt, and more particularly to a buckle structure of the safety belt of a vehicle.

Description of the Prior Art

A conventional safety belt is driving safety equipment used to protect a driver and passengers as a car crash occurs or braking the car suddenly. For example, when an impact force happens, the driver and the passengers move forward based on inertial principle to crash steering wheel or windshield, but the conventional safety belt pulls the driver and the passengers on seats as accident occurs so as to reduce damage.

The buckle of the safety belt is connected with straps of the safety belt, and the safety belt is classified in three point type or five point type. The safety belt of five point type contains a body and multiple buckles, wherein the body includes a fixing mount and a cover covering with the body, and the cover has a rotation member arranged on a top thereof, the rotation member drives a locking device fixed between the fixing mount and the cover.

Referring to FIGS. 15-17, a locking device for a buckle of a safety belt of a vehicle contains a central shaft 91 and an actuation sheet 92. The central shaft 91 has two opposite columns 911, and the actuation sheet 92 has a through hole 921 defined on a center thereof, a hollow post 922 stamp bent around a peripheral side of the through hole 921 and perpendicular to the actuation sheet 92, and multiple openings 923 formed on a peripheral side of the actuation sheet 92, wherein the hollow post 922 has two opposite cutouts 9221 in an inverted V shape, a fixing portion 9222 mounted on a center of each cutout 9221 and engaging with each of the two opposite columns 911 of the central shaft 91, two release points 9223 defined on two ends of the hollow post 922 respectively, and two sliding channels 9224 defined between the fixing portion 9222 of each cutout 9221 and the two releases points 9223 individually.

Thereby, the central shaft 91 fits with the hollow post 922 of the actuation sheet 92 via the through hole 921 and the hollow post 922 of the actuation sheet 92, hence as fastening the safety belt, each column 911 of the central shaft 91 retain with the fixing portion 9222 of the hollow post 922 of the actuation sheet 92. As unfastening the safety belt, the rotation member of the cover is rotated to actuate the central shaft 91 to rotate so that the two opposite columns 911 of the central shaft 91 to the two release points 9223 from the fixing portion 9222 along the two sliding channels 9224 respectively, hence the actuation sheet 92 is pushed to lift upwardly so as to release the locking device form an insertion sheet and to remove the buckle from the body. After unfastening the safety belt, a spring pushes the two opposite columns 911 of the central shaft 91 to the fixing portion 9222 from the two release points 9223 of the hollow post 922 of the actuation sheet 92 along the two sliding channels 9224 respectively so that the two opposite columns 911 of the central shaft 91 engages with the fixing portion 9222 of the hollow post 922 of the actuation sheet 92.

However, as fastening the buckle, the two opposite columns 911 of the central shaft 91 engages with the fixing portion 9222 of the hollow post 922 of the actuation sheet 92, in the meantime, as rotating the central shaft 91, the two opposite columns 911 slides to the two releases 9223 from the fixing portion 9222 along the two sliding channels 9224 so as to push the actuation sheet 92 to lift upwardly. In case the rotation member is touched by an external force accidently after fastening the safety belt as driving the vehicle, the rotation member actuates drives the central shaft 91 to rotate leftward or rightward at an error-opening angle θ0 as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, hence the central shaft 91 pushed the actuation sheet 92 to lift upwardly at the error-open height h0, and the locking device releases from the insertion sheet and the buckle of the safety belt removes, thus losing safety protection to the driver and the passengers. The fixing portion 9222 of each cutout 9221 retains with the two opposite columns 911 of the central shaft 91, wherein the two sliding channels 9224 of each cutout 9221 of the hollow post 922 extends to the two release points 9223 from the two releases points 9223 individually, hence an extension slope of the two sliding channels 9224 is more than spiral surfaces of the two opposite columns 911 to the two sliding channels 9224 from the fixing portion 9222, hence the buckle of the safety belt is unfastened easily (i.e., releasing the locking device from the insertion sheet) and is stuck easily, thus unfastening the buckle of the safety difficultly, reducing using utility and safety.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a buckle structure for a seat belt of a vehicle which after fastening each buckle of the safety belt, two opposite circular columns of a central shaft contact with an arcuately concave channel of a hollow pillar of an actuation sheet, wherein the arcuately concave channel has two symmetrical idle rotation angles so when the rotation member is rotated by an external force to revolve within the two symmetrical idle rotation angles, each buckle does not remove from the body, thus enhancing using safety.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a buckle structure for a seat belt of a vehicle in which the hollow pillar of the actuation sheet has two opposite semicircular cutouts, each semicircular cutout has the arcuately concave channel defined on a center thereof, two release tabs are arranged on two ends of the hollow pillar respectively, the arcuately concave channel has the two symmetrical idle rotation angles, two symmetrical sliding channels are defined between the two release tabs of two ends of the arcuately concave channel and the two opposite semicircular cutouts respectively, thus reducing force of unfastening the buckle structure and avoiding blocking each buckle.

To obtain above-mentioned objectives, a buckle structure for a seat belt of a vehicle provided by the present invention contains: a body, a rotation member, and a locking device.

The body includes a fixing mount and a cover covering the fixing mount, the fixing mount includes a plurality of grooves, and each of the plurality of grooves is defined between any two adjacent of multiple protrusions.

The rotation member is mounted on a top of the cover.

The locking device is defined between the fixing mount and the cover, and the rotation member drives the locking device.

The locking device includes a central shaft and an actuation sheet.

The central shaft is driven by the rotation member to rotate, and the central shaft has two opposite semicircular columns extending outwardly therefrom.

The actuation sheet has an aperture defined on a center thereof, a hollow pillar stamp bent around and perpendicular to the aperture of the actuation sheet, and multiple openings formed on a peripheral side of the actuation sheet, wherein the central shaft inserts through the aperture and the hollow pillar, the hollow pillar has two opposite cutouts, an arcuately concave channel defined on a center of each of the two opposite cutouts, two release tabs arranged on two ends of the hollow pillar respectively, and two symmetrical sliding channels defined between the two release tabs of two ends of the arcuately concave channel and the two opposite semicircular cutouts respectively, the arcuately concave channel is coupled with the two symmetrical sliding channels, and coefficients of spiral surfaces of the arcuately concave channel and the two sliding channels are different, wherein the arcuately concave channel is flat, and the two sliding channels are steep.

Multiple buckles, wherein a first end of each of the multiple buckles is in connection with the seat belt, and a second end of each buckle has a connection head with a hole, when the connection head of each buckle inserts into one of the plurality of grooves of the body, the locking device locks in the hole so that the buckle fastens with the body, and when the rotation member is rotated, the two opposite circular columns of the central shaft push the actuation sheet to lift toward the cover at an opening height so that the locking device unfastens from the hole, thus removing the buckle from the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the assembly of a buckle structure for a seat belt of a vehicle in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the exploded components of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the assembly of a part of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side plan view showing the assembly of a part of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view showing the assembly of a part of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is another perspective view showing the assembly of a part of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line of A-A of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view showing the operation of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the operation of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a side plan view showing the operation of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view showing the operation of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is another side plan view showing the operation of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is also another side plan view showing the operation of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is still another cross sectional view showing the operation of the buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the exploded components of a conventional buckle structure for a seat belt of a vehicle.

FIG. 16 is a side plan view showing the exploded components of the conventional buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the assembly of the conventional buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle.

FIG. 18 is a side plan view showing the operation of the conventional buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle.

FIG. 19 is a cross sectional view showing the operation of the conventional buckle structure for the seat belt of the vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

With reference to FIGS. 1-7, a buckle structure for a seat belt of a vehicle in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises: a body A1 and multiple buckles A2, wherein the body A1 includes a fixing mount 10, a cover 20, a locking device 30, a rotation member 40, and a screw 50, wherein a first end of each of the multiple buckles A2 is in connection with the seat belt A3, and a second end of each buckle A2 has a connection head A21 with a hole A211.

The fixing mount 10 includes multiple protrusions 11 separately arranged on a peripheral side of a top thereof, and the fixing mount 10 includes a plurality of grooves 12, each of the plurality of grooves 12 is defined between any two adjacent protrusions 11, each groove 12 has a slot 14 extending from a central position thereof so as to accommodate an elasticity set 13 which has a slidable block 131 and a resilient element 132, wherein the slidable block 131 has a notch 1311 defined therein so as to accommodate a first end of the resilient element 132, and a second end of the resilient element 132 abuts against the slot 14, wherein the resilient element 132 is a compression spring.

The cover 20 covers the fixing mount 10 and is fixed by the screw 50, wherein the cover 20 includes an accommodation chamber 21 defined therein, and the cover 20 includes multiple posts 22 extending outwardly from the accommodation chamber 21.

The locking device 30 is housed in the accommodation chamber 21 of the cover 20, and the locking device 30 includes a fixed bolt element 31, multiple movable bolts 32, a central shaft 33, an actuation sheet 34, a returning spring 35, a positioning disc 36, and multiple sprigs 37, wherein the fixed bolt element 31 and the multiple movable bolts 32 are fitted on the multiple posts 22 of the cover 20 by way of the multiple sprigs 37 respectively, wherein the central shaft 33, the actuation sheet 34, and the returning spring 35 are housed in the accommodation chamber 21 of the cover 20. The central shaft 33 has two opposite circular columns 331 extending outwardly therefrom, the actuation sheet 34 has an aperture 341 defined on a center thereof, a hollow pillar 342 stamp bent around and perpendicular to the aperture 341 of the actuation sheet 34, and multiple openings 343 formed on a peripheral side of the actuation sheet 34 and retained on the fixed bolt element 31 and the multiple movable bolts 32 individually, wherein the hollow pillar 342 has two opposite semicircular cutouts 3421, an arcuately concave channel 3422 defined on a center of each of the two opposite semicircular cutouts 3421, two release tabs 3423 arranged on two ends of the hollow pillar 342 respectively, and a lowest contact point 3424 formed on a center of the arcuately concave channel 3422, wherein an idle rotation angle θ1 is defined among each of two sides of the arcuately concave channel 3422 and the lowest contact point 3424, and the arcuately concave channel 3422 has two symmetrical highest points 3425 forming on two ends thereof respectively, wherein an idle rotation height h1 is defined between each of the two symmetrical highest points 3425 and the lowest contact point 3424, a largest change of the idle rotation height h1 is within the idle rotation angle θ1, and the idle rotation angle θ1 is within 20 to 30 degrees. In a preferred embodiment, the idle rotation angle θ1 is 25 degrees. Two symmetrical sliding channels 3426 are defined between the two release tabs 3423 of two ends of the arcuately concave channel 3422 and the two opposite semicircular cutouts 3421 respectively, the arcuately concave channel 3422 is coupled with the two symmetrical sliding channels 3426, and coefficients of spiral surfaces of the arcuately concave channel 3422 and the two sliding channels 3426 are different, wherein the arcuately concave channel 3422 is flat, and the two sliding channels 3426 are steep. The central shaft 33 partially extends out of the cover 20 via the aperture 341, the hollow pillar 342, and the returning spring 35 of the actuation sheet 34 so that the actuation sheet 34 and the returning spring 35 fit on the central shaft 33, the returning spring 35 abuts against the cover 20 and the actuation sheet 34, and the two opposite circular columns 331 of the central shaft 33 are biased against the arcuately concave channel 3422 of the hollow pillar 342 of the actuation sheet 34. The positioning disc 36 is fixed between the cover 20 and the fixing mount 10, and the positioning disc 36 has multiple orifices 361 defined adjacent to a peripheral side thereof and configured to accommodate the fixed bolt element 31 and the multiple movable bolts 32 individually.

The rotation member 40 is mounted on the cover 20 and includes a fitting trench 41 defined on a center of a bottom thereof so as to fit with the central shaft 33 of the locking device 30, and the rotation member 40 is locked with the central shaft 33 by using the screw 50 so as to drive the central shaft 33 of the locking device 30 to rotate.

In user, as shown in FIG. 8, the connection head A21 of each buckle A2 inserts into one of the plurality of grooves 12 of the fixing mount 10 so as to push the slidable block 131 of the elasticity set 13 to slide in the slot 14, when the connection head A21 of each buckle A2 is positioned after the resilient element 132 is pressed by the slidable block 131, the multiple movable bolts 32 of the locking device 30 move into and fix in the hole A211 of the connection head A21 of each buckle A2 after being pushed by the multiple sprigs 37, thus fastening each buckle A2 in the body A1.

When unfastening the seat belt A3, as shown in FIGS. 9-11, the rotation member 40 drives the central shaft 33 to revolve so that the two opposite circular columns 331 of the central shaft 33 rotatably slide to the two release tabs 3423 from the hollow pillar 342 of the actuation sheet 34 via the two sliding channels 3426, hence the actuation sheet 34 lifts to the cover 20 at an opening height h2, wherein the opening height h2 is more than the idle rotation height h1 so that the actuation sheet 34 forces the returning spring 35 to deform, actuates the multiple movable bolts 32 to lift, and presses the multiple sprigs 37, hence the multiple movable bolts 32 remove from the hole A211 of each buckle A2, the resilient element 132 of the elasticity set 13 pushes the slidable block 131 outwardly so that the slidable block 131 pushes each buckle A2 out of the one groove 12, thus unfastening each buckle A2 easily. Thereafter, the returning spring 35 and the multiple sprigs 37 push the actuation sheet 34 and the multiple movable bolts 32 back to original positions and drive the central shaft 33 and the rotation member 40 reversely to rotate back to original angle respectively.

Referring further to FIGS. 12-14, when each buckle A2 fastens in the body A1, the two opposite circular columns 331 of the central shaft 33 slides on the arcuately concave channel 3422 so that the rotation member 40 rotates within the idle rotation angle θ1 of the arcuately concave channel 3422. Since the spiral surfaces of the arcuately concave channel 3422 is small and flat, the rotation member 40 moves at the idle rotation height h1 in the idle rotation angle θ1, such that the central shaft 33 does not drive the actuation sheet 34 to actuate the multiple movable bolts 32 to lift and to remove from the hole A211 of each buckle A2. In other words, the rotation member 40 is not released within two symmetrical idle rotation angles θ1 of the arcuately concave channel 3422 and the lowest contact point 3424 after being rotated by external force, thus enhancing using safety.

Accordingly, the buckle structure of the present invention has advantages as follows:

1. After fastening each buckle A2 of the safety belt, the arcuately concave channel 3422 of the two opposite circular columns 331 of the central shaft 33 contacts with the arcuately concave channel 3422 of the hollow pillar 342 of the actuation sheet 34, wherein the arcuately concave channel 3422 has the two symmetrical idle rotation angles θ1, the rotation member 40 moves slightly at the idle rotation height h1 within two symmetrical idle rotation angles θ1, and the idle rotation height h1 is less than the opening height h2, so when the rotation member 40 is rotated by the external force to revolve within the two symmetrical idle rotation angles θ1, each buckle A2 does not remove from the body A1, thus enhancing the using safety.

2. The hollow pillar 342 of the actuation sheet 34 has the two opposite semicircular cutouts 3421, each semicircular cutout 3421 has the arcuately concave channel 3422 defined on the center thereof, the two release tabs 3423 are arranged on the two ends of the hollow pillar 342 respectively, the arcuately concave channel 3422 has the two symmetrical idle rotation angles θ1, the two symmetrical sliding channels 3426 are defined between the two release tabs 3423 of the two ends of the arcuately concave channel 3422 and the two opposite semicircular cutouts 3421 respectively, hence as unfastening each buckle A2, the rotation member 40 drives the central shaft 33 to revolve, wherein the two opposite circular columns 331 of the central shaft 33 rotatably slide to the two release tabs 3423 from the arcuately concave channel 3422 via the two sliding channels 3426, thus reducing force of unfastening the buckle structure and avoiding blocking each buckle A2.

While various embodiments in accordance with the present invention have been shown and described, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A buckle structure for a seat belt of a vehicle comprising: a body including a fixing mount and a cover covering the fixing mount, the fixing mount including a plurality of grooves, each of the plurality of grooves being defined between any two adjacent of multiple protrusions; a rotation member mounted on a top of the cover; a locking device defined between the fixing mount and the cover, and the rotation member drives the locking device; the locking device including a central shaft and an actuation sheet; the central shaft being driven by the rotation member to rotate, and the central shaft having two opposite semicircular columns extending outwardly therefrom; wherein the actuation sheet has an aperture defined on a center thereof, a hollow pillar stamp bent around and perpendicular to the aperture of the actuation sheet, and multiple openings formed on a peripheral side of the actuation sheet, wherein the central shaft inserts through the aperture and the hollow pillar, the hollow pillar has two opposite cutouts, an arcuately concave channel defined on a center of each of the two opposite cutouts, two release tabs arranged on two ends of the hollow pillar respectively, and two symmetrical sliding channels defined between the two release tabs of two ends of the arcuately concave channel and the two opposite semicircular cutouts respectively, the arcuately concave channel is coupled with the two symmetrical sliding channels, and coefficients of spiral surfaces of the arcuately concave channel and the two sliding channels are different, wherein the arcuately concave channel is flat, and the two sliding channels are steep; and multiple buckles, wherein a first end of each of the multiple buckles is in connection with the seat belt, and a second end of each buckle has a connection head with a hole, when the connection head of each buckle inserts into one of the plurality of grooves of the body, the locking device locks in the hole so that the buckle fastens with the body, and when the rotation member is rotated, the two opposite circular columns of the central shaft push the actuation sheet to lift toward the cover at an opening height so that the locking device unfastens from the hole, thus removing the buckle from the body.
 2. The buckle structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two opposite cutouts of the hollow pillar are semicircular.
 3. The buckle structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lowest contact point is formed on a center of the arcuately concave channel, an idle rotation angle is defined among each of two sides of the arcuately concave channel and the lowest contact point, and the arcuately concave channel has two symmetrical highest points forming on two ends thereof respectively, wherein an idle rotation height is defined among the two symmetrical highest points and the lowest contact point of the arcuately concave channel, and the idle rotation height is less than the opening height.
 4. The buckle structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the idle rotation angle is within 20 to 30 degrees, and a preferred idle rotation angle is 25 degrees.
 5. The buckle structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of grooves has a slot extending from a central position thereof so as to accommodate an elasticity set which has a slidable block and a resilient element, wherein the slidable block has a notch defined therein so as to accommodate a first end of the resilient element, and a second end of the resilient element abuts against the slot.
 6. The buckle structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover covers the fixing mount and is fixed by a screw, wherein the cover includes an accommodation chamber defined therein, and the cover includes multiple posts extending outwardly from the accommodation chamber; the locking device includes a fixed bolt element, multiple movable bolts, a returning spring, a positioning disc, and multiple sprigs, wherein the returning spring fits on the central shaft, the returning spring abuts against the cover and the actuation sheet, and the positioning disc has multiple orifices defined adjacent to a peripheral side thereof and configured to accommodate the fixed bolt element and the multiple movable bolts individually.
 7. The buckle structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central shaft partially extends out of the cover and connects with the rotation member. 